Little Lost Teddy
by Chrys-DASL
Summary: Arthur is newly 4 and in preschool with his best friend Buster. During a trip to Thora's house, he receives the greatest gift of his life. Can you guess what it is? For my 10x10 Challenge/NaNo2018


Arthur (2): something lost (1)

 _Little Lost Teddy_

Arthur waved happily to Buster as he prepared to leave. Jane was at the door waiting for him, his yellow poncho in her hands. Arthur nearly tripped over some blocks on his way to the door, but he got where he was going without harm.

"Did you have a good day today?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, we built a tower!" Arthur exclaimed, jumping up and down so much that Jane couldn't get the poncho on.

"Hold still, Arthur. It's raining outside and your mother wants you to wear your special coat," Miss Morgan said, handing Jane a folder when the task was finished, "Here are his art pieces for the month, as well as his permission slips for next month's field trips. We're going to the aquarium in Metropolis, and the C-I-R-C-U-S," Miss Morgan winked.

"Ooh, what's that?" Arthur asked, bouncing once again.

Jane shook her head, "It'll be a surprise. Have a good day, Miss Morgan. Oh, Arthur, Buster is waving at you."

Arthur waved back before taking his mother's hand and bounding outside with her. Rain was falling some, but it mostly looked icky as fog covered the town. Arthur thought most things looked foggy anyway, but he didn't say anything. He got strapped into his car seat and kicked his feet as he waited for his mom to get settled.

"We're going to Grandma Thora's for dinner tonight. When we get home, you're going to get a special bubble bath, then you'll get to wear some new clothes she got you," Jane smiled.

"What kind of new clothes?" Arthur asked.

"I haven't looked at them yet," Jane said, pulling the car into traffic.

"Why?"

"Well I haven't had time. Things are really busy," she said, scanning her rearview mirror as she reached the stop sign. She looked both ways before crossing the intersection.

"Why?" Arthur asked again, but Jane ignored him. He'd been in that phase ever since his fourth birthday, and she was getting a little tired of playing along.

When they got home, Arthur ran all over the house trying to avoid his bubble bath, so Jane bribed him with a special snack to go into the bathroom. When he was clean, he got a cookie and television time in his towel.

David arrived home a few minutes later. Arthur bounded up, leaving his towel behind as he hugged his father.

"Clothes, Arthur," David scolded, pushing him gently up the stairs.

"I want the outfit that's on his bed!" Jane called from the kitchen, so David followed Arthur into his room. Arthur was jumping up and down on his new big boy bed, a gift for his fourth birthday.

David caught him mid-jump and lifted him into the air shouting, "Super Arthur!"

Arthur giggled before accepting his fate. He picked police car underwear to go with his new outfit, a blue overall suit that was honestly a little ugly. He didn't say anything as his father finished the straps.

"Can you see what those are?" David asked. Arthur shook his head. It all looked fuzzy to him. David pondered for a moment before continuing, "Do they look like ducks?"

"Yes," Arthur smiled, jumping on the bed again before being captured again. David put on mismatched socks, one blue and one yellow, before helping him with his shoes. By the time he was done, Jane was calling them from downstairs because it was time to go.

Arthur ran down the stairs, nearly falling but catching himself without anyone seeing. Jane yelled after him to slow down as he ran to the car, but Arthur ignored her.

David sighed when he reached the front door, "We really ought to schedule an eye appointment. I asked him if those are ducks on his clothes and he agreed with me."

"Well what are they? I don't know where your mother found that outfit but it's hideous," Jane hissed, walking proudly to the car with a container of sorts. Arthur jumped in an empty seat asking her what it was. Jane smiled, "It's a surprise. Sit down so Daddy can strap you in," she said, tossing her husband the keys and darting to the passenger side. David shook his head but didn't complain, practically fighting Arthur into the seat so they could leave.

Arthur sang nonsense songs all the way to Thora's house. When they arrived, he ran up the steps, nearly tripping again, and gave her a huge hug. Grandma Thora picked him up and hugged him tightly.

"We're having your favorite tonight!" she declared.

"Pasketi?" Arthur asked.

"Uh-huh, SPAGHETTI," she enunciated, but he had already darted into the living room to play with the few toys he had. She sighed and hugged David, "So good to see you son. Thanks for taking those clothes off my hands, Jane," she said, leading her daughter-in-law to the kitchen with her container, "I don't know where Sarah got them from, but I knew Arthur would fit."

"Sarah who?" David asked.

"MacGrady down at Lakewood Elementary. You'll get to know her soon enough when my little grandson starts school. She's looking forward to meeting him, but I hope she doesn't dump off any more of those clothes," Thora laughed.

Jane put the container down on the table, "So that's why you gave them to us? David said you picked them out yourself."

"Yep, those were the cutest things she had," Thora said, turning around just in time to see Jane grimace. She laughed, "You don't have to lie to me, Jane. I figured he could wear them around the house when no one would see," she winked, walking over the stove to stir her sauce.

Something crashed in the living room, so David stepped out to see. Arthur was staring wide-eyed at Grandma Thora's china cabinet. David looked up and saw the glass on the right cabinet door had shattered onto the floor.

"David, what was it?" Jane called from the kitchen.

"Ma, has anything happened with your cabinet? The glass broke," David called, carrying Arthur into the kitchen and placing him on a stool.

Thora grabbed a broom and dustpan from the closet and handed it to him, "Now that you mention it, Sarah ran into it with one of her big boxes the other day. I bet it cracked the glass, and all this excitement sent it running," she laughed, squeezing Arthur's knee, "Just a little accident is all, not your fault," she added, turning back to her sauce.

When the mess was safely cleaned up, it was time for dinner. Arthur sat between his father and his grandmother while Jane sat across from him. Arthur swung his legs freely until Jane told him to stop, so he did. He was just so excited about the spaghetti dinner with his grandma.

After dinner, Jane got her container out and revealed special brownies with M&M candies baked inside. Arthur grabbed one and ate it, but most of it seemed to end up on his face. Thora laughed and took him to the bathroom to help wash his face while Jane and David had coffee in the living room.

When they returned, Thora sat down in her chair with a sigh, "I forgot to mention Sarah brought over some other things too, more things for kids. I didn't take but a few things, but I thought he'd like this one particular thing," Thora said, walking over to the television cabinet and pulling out a small plastic container. Inside was the cutest little bear Arthur had ever seen. He clutched it to his chest. Thora sighed, "Sarah said it's been in the lost and found for ages now."

"She gave away a lost toy? How sick," Jane grimaced.

"You're not wrong, Jane, but she said it's been years now, so long the kid would've moved on to middle school now. She wanted desperately to find out who owned it, but no one ever took him. She named him Stanley," Thora smiled, squeezing the bear's paw, "I think he makes a great Stanley, don't you, Arthur?"

"Wow, I bet some poor kid doesn't even know it's gone," David whisper.

"Well it has a good home now. Look, he's fallen asleep with it," Thora smiled, turning to Jane, "So, Sarah should back off for a little while with the clothes and whatnot. I'll warn you when she gets another batch."

"Maybe send them elsewhere if you can," David suggested, settling into his chair as the visit with his mother continued.

[LINE BREAK]

Arthur couldn't wait to show off Stanley to Buster, but he had to wait until their next play date, which was two whole weeks away. It was a LONG time to wait, but Arthur didn't really mind. Stanley was worth the wait.

Buster came over with his own teddy, a little bunny he named Pablo. Buster put Pablo in the window next to Stanley, "I think they're best friends too."

"Me too."

"How did you get Stanley?" Buster asked.

Arthur shrugged, "Grandma Thora said a lady named Sarah found him at a school. He was lost for a long time."

"Wow, that's cool. Wanna play aliens and space raiders?" Buster grinned.

Soon they were running around the backyard shooting lasers at each other. Bitzi and Jane stood in the kitchen making cookies together and watching the madness unfold outside.

Bitzi shook her head, "Those boys are a mess."

"But they're our mess," Jane smiled.

"Still, I'm glad they've got someone. I was talking with a lady at the doctor the other day who was looking into some fertility issues. Her kid is six and friendless, and she probably can't have any more kids—"

"How awful!" Jane exclaimed, shaking her head as she grabbed a bag of chocolate chips and tore it open with her teeth, "David and I haven't exactly been trying, but I'd be devastated if that happened."

"I mean, Bo and I were done before that was even an option," Bitzi said, stirring their cookie dough and looking out the window, "Buster could end up like that kid—"

"He won't—"

"But he could!" Bitzi argued.

"I don't see anything happening to those two. I mean, ever since Arthur got Stanley, he's wanted to tell Buster about it. Not anyone else. My father came over the other day, and Arthur never even brought him up. I had to get Dad to ask about him because Arthur was carrying him all over the house. Buster comes in and gets an immediate introduction and tour of the house. Nothing will change with those two," Jane said, looking out as Arthur tripped and hit the ground.

Jane sighed, "Okay, maybe David is right about the glasses."

"What?"

"Arthur can't recognize certain shapes, and he keeps tripping. I thought it was this latest growth spurt, but maybe he needs glasses. Oh crap, he's crying," Jane said, stepping outside and calling the boys over. Sure enough, Arthur had skinned up his left knee and right elbow. Dirt was on his forehead too, and Buster looked on with great concern.

Once Arthur was cleaned up, the boys sat in the living room watching Mary Moo Cow while the cookies finished baking. Bitzi and Jane were flipping through magazines at the counter.

"So you do want more kids?" Bitzi asked.

Jane shrugged, "Maybe. David wanted to wait until he was five to try again. I like that idea, but I also want to start now. I mean, we haven't exactly been careful either."

"Hmm," Bitzi grinned.

"It's not like that—"

"Sounds that way to me," Bitzi winked, looking up as the timer chimed, "There's nothing wrong with that, you know. You just might want to prepare him some if you do decide. I've seen a lot of studies about that going through our living section—and if you think you've seen a lot in the press, you can't even imagine the ones that don't even make the cut."

"Well I'm not ready yet," Jane said, pulling out the cookies and looking out on the boys, "Do you think they'd still be like that if I had another boy?"

"Pfft, he'd join right in and annoy them half to death. It's perfect," Bitzi grinned, looking back to Jane, "I mean, it can't hurt to find out. I can't do that. It's against my principles to have a child out of wedlock. I like having the one anyway. He's a handful."

Jane didn't argue with her as she put the cookies onto plates. When she was sure they were cool, she took them out to the boys. Suddenly Arthur remembered Stanley and insisted he get one too.

Jane smiled, "Buster's mom and I will take them both a cookie."

"Thank you," Buster said, watching as the ladies went upstairs. Bitzi and Jane left the plates up there with plenty of cookie crumbs. When they returned downstairs, both boys wanted milk, and they were thankfully okay with their stuffed animals not getting any.

When the play date was over, Arthur lay down for a nap with Stanley. Jane watched him sleep and wondered how different life could be with another baby around. She decided not to think about it and went to fold laundry instead. Her mind wandered to Arthur's bear and whoever owned him before. She was glad Sarah tried to find the rightful owner, but she was glad Arthur had a new friend too. Arthur was making lifelong friends, and she knew Stanley was a gift that would keep on giving.

~End

A/N: Piece 23 of 100 for my 10x10 Challenge that I'm doing for NaNo2018. For more info, see my profile or PM me.

So I did look up Stanley's wikia page while I was writing to make sure I got his name right, and I accidentally flubbed the ages a little bit. Arthur was actually three when he met Stanley, and I don't know when he got his glasses but I feel like signs should be there. My friend's young son has glasses, and there were signs she missed. I wanted the opposite for this one, so yeah, that's my line of thought. I'm aware it's not 100% accurate but I love this piece so leave me alone about it lol. Hope you guys liked it too.


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